Method and apparatus for the manufacture of mattresses



Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNiTso STATES METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THEMANUFACTURE OF MATTRESSES Thomas Bolton OBrien, New York, N. Y.

Application February 14, 1934, Serial No. 711,184

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to mattresses and similar articles of theinner spring type, more particularly to such articles that areconstructed of quilted portions, such as are described in my twocopending applications bearing Serial No. 496,493, filed November 18,1930, and Serial No. 594,047, filed February 19, 1932.

The present invention has for its object to devise methods for theassembly of such mattresses and the like which will overcome certaindifliculties and inconveniences encountered in the practice of themethods of assembly hitherto used in the construction of such mattressesand the like. It is also an object of the present invention to provideapparatus for the effective practice of the new methods aforesaid, whichapparatus is of simple construction, space and labor saving and of greatefficiency for their purpose.

Mattresses. of the type to which the present invention relates and whichare fully described in my copending applications aforesaid have hithertobeen made by fastening quilted pads to the faces of an assembled innerspring unit, by pre-sewing an outer quilted envelope out of quiltedboxing and two quilted outer face pads, i

leaving one end of the quilted envelope open for the insertion of thepad covered inner spring unit, inserting the inner spring unit into theenvelope, and closing the same. The actual practice of the methods thusgenerally described presented three major difficulties, which made themcumbersome and costly, because of the time and labor required incarrying them through.

One dihculty encountered was in inserting the pad covered inner springunit into a snugly f1tting envelope having a fabric inner lining. Thefrictional resistance, when such operation was done by hand, was foundto be very great and was greatly enhanced by the size of the objectsbeing handled. The conventional apparatus used for the assembly ofordinary inner spring mattresses' where the envelope is of a singlethickness of fabric were found to be ineffective because of thethickness of the outer quilted envelope of the mattress of the presentinvention.

It was further found that the side seams of the outer quilted envelopewere usually forced open during the insertion of the padded inner springunit. And, finally, it was discovered that, after the padded innerspring unit was inserted into the outer quilted envelope, and theenvelope -was lied out, it was impossible to close the open end of theenvelope properly and to make it of uniform appearance with the otherends of the mattress. The reason for this last diiculty was" theimpossibility of forming the corners of the mattress by sewing machinein a manner continuous and uniform with the presewn edges and corners ofthe envelope, as the sewing machine.,-y will not go around the corner ofthe lled envelope in a proper and effective manner.

All the above difficulties are readily overcome by the practice of themethods of assembly and the use of the apparatus of the present inven-lVtion, which, in addition, result in great economies, as by their meansit is possible for one person, alone, to perform the entire process ofassembly, in one place, in a minimum of time and without any waste ofeiort.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the methods and apparatus ofthe present invention,

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a hand operated embodiment of theapparatus, with a, pad covered inner spring unit mounted thereon;`

Fig. 2 is an end View of the same with the envelope shown in crosssection;

Fig. 3 is` a detailed view of the movable member of the apparatus shownin Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of a mechani-I cally operatedembodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing theassembled mattress mounted thereon;

Fig. 5 is an end View of the same with the envelope shown in crosssection;

Fig. 6 is a view in sectional detail of the operating mechanism of theapparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the assembled mattress, showing the open edgeof the outer envelope; and

Fig.. 8 is a view in perspective of the same.

Referring more specically to the accompanying drawings, the numeral I0,generally indicates a mattress of the present invention, which comprisesan inner spring unit Il, which may consist of a plurality of springcoils arranged in rows, or otherwise, and joined together in any mannerwell known to the art, a pair of. quilted pads I2, covering the faces ofthe inner spring unit Il, and secured by their edges to the edges ofsuch spring unit in any suitable manner, such as by stapling, and anouter quilted envelope, hereinafter referred to as an envelope andgenerally designated as I3, enclosing the inner spring Il and itsattached pads l2.

The inner pads I2 may be made in any suitable manner, such as byenclosing a layer of padding material of suitable thickness between twolayers of fabric or by superimposing such padding material over a layerof fabric and quilting the padding and fabric together, preferably bygang stitching.

The envelope i3 may comprise a pair of quilted outer face pads I4, withthe quilting stitching arranged in decorative design, and quilted boxingI5, to form the sides and ends of the envelope. The boxing I5 may be ofseparate portions for the sides and ends. I prefer, however, to have itone continuous piece, as illustrated in the drawings.

In my co-pending applications I have described several methods ofconstructing the envelope; the preferred method being of placing theedges of the continuous boxing l5, of sufficient length to form all ofthe sides and ends of the envelope, against the edges of the face padsI4, the inner fabric layer of each facing one another and the edgespointing outwardly, folding the width of a continuous tape, i6, over thedouble edge thus formed and enfolding it, and passing a line ofstitching Il, through the edges of the tape H5 and the enfolded doubleedge of padding, thus forming an envelope and simultaneously giving it ataped bead or roll edge, IB.

To permit the subsequent insertion of the padded inner spring unit, oneentireI end of the envelope may be left unfinished, with the necessarylength of boxing and tape left loose for subsequent sealing, or only oneedge of one end, as shown in the drawings, where such open edge isdesignated as I9, may be left open. In order to avoid the separating ofthe boxing and face pads during the insertion of the inner spring unitand at the same time to avoid the difficulty of forming the corners 20of the open edge i9, or of all of the four corners, if the entire end beleft open, in uniformity with all of the other corners and by means of asewing machine, I pre-sew such corners at the time of pre-sewing theenvelope, leaving only the straight portion of the edge or edges, E9,open.

The method of pre-sewing the corners of the open end or edge of theenvelope before inserting the inner spring unit, would, ordinarily, makethe assembly of the mattress impossible, due to the reduced size of theopening thus left, which must be too small to permit the insertion ofthe inner spring unit; and this is more particularly true when only oneedge is left unfinished. I have invented a new and novel method ofassembly of inner spring unit and envelope which makes this method ofpreparing the envelope not only possible, but practicable and desirable.My new method ofv assembly consists in bending or folding the innerspring unit with its attached pads, to such an extent as may bedesirable, but within the limits of its resiliency so that it occupies asmaller` compass, and slipping the envelope over it while it is in suchfolded state. The envelope may be thus readily slipped on, in spite ofthe fact that the opening, 2B, is narrower than the normal width of theinner spring unit, and without disturbing the envelope stitching, andwith the elimination of all or nearly all of the frictional resistanceordinarily encountered in the process. All that thereafter remains to bedone is to shake the assembled mattress several times so that` thatinner spring unit is shaken into exact position, its edges fitting intothe edges of the envelope. The unfinished edge or edges of the envelopemay then be sewed up uniformly with and in the same manner as the otheredges, by means f a sewing machine, which may readily and neatly operatealong a straight edge, even if the envelope is filled.

The operation of bending or folding the inner spring unit may beattempted by hand, one or more persons holding it in that state whileone or more other persons slip the envelope over it. However, while bythis method some of the friction between the inner spring pads and theenvelope is eliminated, such friction is not satisfactorily eliminated,for the reason that such portion of inner spring unit that is insertedinto the envelope tends to unfold, and the fabric of the pads coveringit tends to come into contact with the envelope lining to some extent.For it is impracticable to keep that part of the spring unit which haspassed inside of the envelope, evenly and uniformly bent or folded, byhand, and to prevent its unfolding, In order to eliminate entirely thefriction element and at the same time to attain the economy ofeliminating the labor of one or more persons required to hold and foldthe cumbersome, large and quite heavy pad covered inner spring unit, Ihave devised the apparatus which I shall now proceed to describe.

The apparatus of the present invention may be hand operated, as shown inFigs. l, 2, and 3. Such apparatus comprises a pair of spaced parallelsupports or bars, 2i, in the form of rounded bars or hollow pipes,preferably horizontally disposed, each of the bars 2i having one endfixed in position in any suitable manner, such as byv having it passthrough openings 22, in a pair of alined, spaced standard posts 23,which may be set up in the ground or floor or on a common base, andwhich may be reinforced by the cross bars The parallel bars 2| may bespaced suiiiciently apart to support an inner spring unit even in afolded state.

There is also provided a movable bar 25, which may be somewhat longerthan the fixed bars 2i, and which may be pivoted in an opening 2t, in apost, 21, positioned midway between the rear posts 23, and which rod maybe caught in a trap 28, in another post 29, positioned midway betweenthe two forward posts so that such movable bar may be held in a positionsubstantially parallel to the bars 2l.

To operate the apparatus described, the .movable bar 25 is freed fromthe trap 28, and its free end raised. A pad covered inner spring unit isplaced on the fixed bars 2l and the movable bar 25 is then grasped,preferably by its free end which may project forward of the inner springunit, and pressed downwardly over the center of the inner spring unit,causing it to fold, until the bar E5 may be snapped into the trap 28,thus fixing the inner spring unit in a folded state. rEhe projecting endof the movable bar 25 may then be pushed back evenly with the edge ofthe inner spring unit, and the envelope may be slipped over the innerspring unit and its supporting and folding bars. The movable bar, 25,may then be either entirely withdrawn, by pulling it out through theopening, 2G, or merely snapped out of the trap, 23, so that pressure onthe inner spring unit is entirely released or partly removed. The innerspring unit will then tend to straighten out and fill the envelope. Theassembled mattress is then pulled 0E the bars on which it remainssuspended, unto a work table, 3S, which may be provided to receive it.

It may here be stated that the apparatus mayl be so set up that thepadded inner unit may be placed below the supporting bars, 2i, themovable bar, 25, then is so placed that it is moved upwardly from belowthe inner spring unit to produce the requisite folding.

It may here also be stated that the movable bar, 25, may be pivoted inthe forward middle post, 29, the trap, 2t, being placed in the rearmiddle post, so that the folding pressure may be applied by raising therear end of the bar E5 until it is snapped into the trap. The forwardend of the bar, 25, may then be made somewhat shorter than the length ofthe inner spring unit, so as to interfere less with the straightening ofthe inner spring unit when pressure is relieved.

It may here also be stated that provision may be made for the use of theapparatus for the assembly of narrower and wider mattresses by providingmeans which may be readily apparent to any skilled mechanic, for theadjusting of the position of the anchor posts, 23, with respect to themiddle posts, 2l and 29, or for adjusting' the position of thesupporting bars, il, within the anchor posts, to bring them nearer to orfurther from the middle posts.

It is readily apparent that by the use of the apparatus described, whichkeeps the inner spring unit folded during the entire process of coveringit with the envelope, friction is maintained at a minimum during allthat time, and the process may be carried out with the least eort by oneperson.

The efiiciency and ease of operation of the apparatus of the presentinvention may be further increased by providing mechanical means toapply the folding pressure required, as shown in Figs. 3, ll, and 5 ofthe drawings, wherein the supporting bars, 2l, are anchored in twospaced frame standards, a forward one, 3l, and a rear one, 32. Themovable bar, may operate within a pair of vertical slots, one in thecenter of each of the anchorages, midway between the supporting bars.The movable bar, may be carried by a pair oi hubs, il, suspended betweenthe two anchorages, 3l and 35i, one adjacent each of them, to givesteadiness.

Each of the hubs, '.ii, is carried at the end of a vertically positionedthreaded screw, 35, which passes through an opening, in a bracket, Si,projecting perpendicularly from each of the standards, and through anopening, 3i?, in a cross bar, 39, the ends of which rest on and arefixed to the tops of the standards. Each of the said threaded screws, isalso engaged in the threaded hub, til, of sprocket wheels, lll, restingbetween the bracket, 3i, and the cross bar. 39. The sprocket wheels,fil, may engage an endless chain, 52, passing over both of them, whichchain may be actuated by another sprocket wheel, 43, engaging it, whichis mounted at one end of a shaft, M, and in the thrust bearings, /i5,one on each side of the cross bar, 39, and through the said bar at aboutits center. The other end of the shaft, til, may be provided with anoperating wheel, llt, having a manipulating handle, el.

It will be readily apparent that as the operating wheel, ll, is turnedin one direction, the chain, d2, is actuated and the sprocket wheels areturned, causing the threaded screws, 35, and the movable rod, 25,carried by them, to move downwardly, and that by reversing the directionof the operating wheel, the movable rod, 25, may be caused to moveupwardly.

The mechanically operated assembly apparatus thus described may beoperated in the same manner as the hand apparatus previously described,with the advantages that one person may do all of the work involved withvery little physical exertion.

It may here be stated that the form of standards in which the rods areto be fixed is immaterial for the purposes of the present invention andthat the particular motive power for the movable bar, 25, need notnecessarily be hand operable, but may just as effectively be footoperable, or may be connected in any suitable manner to power mechanism,electrical or otherwise, with great advantage.

lThis completes the description of the methods and apparatus of thepresent invention. It is to be understood that I do not wish to belimited to the methods and apparatus thus described, as obviouslyvariations thereof and changes in them may readily be made without theexercise of the s inventive faculties and within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as previously described and as set out in theclaims hereto appended.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. Apparatus for assembling mattresses, comprising a pair of spacedmembers adapted to contact one face of a mattress inner spring, saidmembers being fixed in position by one of their corresponding ends andhaving their other ends free, a movable member pivoted toward one endsubstantially midway between the said fixed members and having its otherend free and being adapted to press the other face of the mattress innerspring and to bend it between the said fixed members, and means toanchor the said movable member in position.

2. Apparatus for assembling mattresses, comprising a pair of spacedparallel members adapted to contact one face of a mattress inner spring,said members being xed in position by one of their corresponding endsand having their other ends free, a movable member pivoted toward oneend substantially midway between the said xed members and having itsother end free and being adapted to press the other face of the mattressinner spring and to bend it between the said xed members, and means toanchor the said movable member in position.

3. Apparatus for assembling mattresses, comprising a pair of spaced,horizontal parallel members adapted to Contact one face of a mattressinner spring, said members being fixed in position by one of theircorresponding ends and having their other ends free, a movable member ipivoted toward one end substantially midway between the said fixedmembers and having its other end free and being adapted to press theother face of the mattress inner spring and to bend it between the saidfixed members, and means to anchor the said movable member in position.

4. Apparatus for assembling mattresses comprising two spaced parallelrows of spaced standard posts, a pair of parallel members adapted tocontact one face of a mattress inner spring each iixed by acorresponding end in one of the said rows of standard posts, their otherends being free, a movable member, pivoted intermediate of said fixedmembers and having one end free, adapted to press the other face of themattress inner spring and to bend it between the said fixed members, andmeans to anchor the said movable member in position.

5. Apparatus for assembling mattresses corn- Cil prising two spacedparallel rows of spaced standard posts, a pair of parallel membersadapted to contact one face of a mattress inner spring each xed by acorresponding end in one of the said rows of standard posts, their otherends being free, a pair of standard posts positioned intermediate of thesaid parallel rows of standard posts, a movable member, adapted to pressthe other face of the mattress inner spring and to bend it between thesaid xed members, pivoted toward one end on one of the said intermediatestandard posts and having its other end free and means on the otherintermediate standard posts to anchor the said movable member inposition.

6. Apparatus for assembling mattresses comprising two spaced parallelrows of spaced standard posts, a pair of parallel members, adapted tocontact one face of a mattress inner spring, each horizontally iixed bya corresponding end in one of the said rows of standard posts, andhaving its other end free, a movable member, pivoted toward one endintermediate of said xed members, and having its other end free, andadapted to press the other face of the mattress inner spring and to bendit between the said fixed members, and means to anchor the said movablemember in position, with the corresponding ends of the parallel membersand the movable members free.

7. Apparatus for assembling mattresses comprising two spaced parallelrows of spaced standard posts, a pair of parallel members adapted tocontact one face of a mattress inner spring each horizontally fixedtoward a corresponding end in one of the said rows of standard posts,and having its other end free, a pair of standard posts positionedintermediate of the said parallel rows of standard posts, a movablemember, adapted to press the other face of the mattress inner spring andto bend it between the said fixed members, pivoted toward one end on oneof the said intermediate standard post and having its other end free andmeans on the other intermediate standard post to anchor the said movablemember in position with its end free and unsupported.

8. Apparatus for assembling mattresses, comprising a pair of spacedmeans, having corresponding free ends, adapted to contact one face of amattress inner spring, means having a free end corresponding to the freeends of said spaced means and adapted to contact the other face of themattress inner spring along its center, the means contacting theopposite faces of the mattress inner spring being movable with respectto one another and adapted to bend and hold the mattress inner springbetween them, but so that it may be withdrawn over their free ends.

9. Apparatus for assembling mattresses comprising a pair of spacedparallel members iixed in horizontal position and having correspondingfree ends adapted to contact one face of a mattress inner spring, athird member parallel to and between the said fixed members and movabletoward or away from their plane, adapted to Contact the other face ofits inner spring and to bend the mattress between the said iixed membersand means to actuate said third member, corresponding ends of the xedand movable members being free.

10. Apparatus for assembling mattresses comprising a pair of spacedframe standards, a pair of spaced members xed by corresponding ends inthe said frame standards, their other ends being extended free andparallel and adapted to contact one face of a mattress inner spring,each of said frame standards being slotted vertically substantiallyintermediate the ends of the xed members and a movable memberreciprocable within the said slots and having an extended free end andadapted to contact the other face of the mattress inner spring and tobend it between the said iixed and movable members, and means toreciprocate such movable member.

l1. Apparatus for assembling mattresses comprising a pair of spacedframe standards, a pair of spaced members fixed by corresponding ends inthe said frame standards, their other ends being extended free andparallel and adapted to contact one face of the mattress inner springeach of said frame standards being slotted vertically intermediate theends of the fixed members, a movable member reciprocable within the saidslots and having an extended free end and adapted to contact the otherface of the mattress inner spring and to bend it between the said xedand movable members, means mounted on the said frame standard andengaging the said reciprocating member to operate the same.

12. The method of constructing a mattress. which comprises the steps ofpreparing a padded mattress envelope having completed, rounded cornersand being entirely closed except at one edge seam between the corners,preparing a complete, independent, inner spring unit, equal to thecapacity of the envelope, embodying helically coiled springsinterconnected at their ends and surrounded by continuous, resilient,wire loops, bending the spring unit, within the range of its resiliency,longitudinally through its whole length, completely inserting it, whileheld so bent by force applied directly to it, through the operi end edgeseam, allowing the spring unit to atten out through its own resiliency,progressively from its inner end outward,fand then permanently closingthe seam in the end of the mattress envelope.

THOMAS BOLTON OBRIEN.

